Harper is an evangelist who would be like American evangelist politicians except he knows the Canadian electorate would have him out of there on his ass so fast so he begrudgingly stays away from abortion & gay marriage.

ontariolightning:ecmoRandomNumbers: Do Canadian politicians go to American Ivy League schools?

Harper is an evangelist who would be like American evangelist politicians except he knows the Canadian electorate would have him out of there on his ass so fast so he begrudgingly stays away from abortion & gay marriage.

which makes him a smart politician. I have no problem with a leader being pragmatic above pursuing personal goals that would go against the wishes of the populace. And while strongly worded the memo really isn't that surprising. You'd want the new guy/girl to be informed of who is helpful vs. combative to your office when you come in.

It's called opposition research. It's essential to getting things done in politics. Knowing who will oppose a bill you put forward, who can be persuaded, who's a lost cause and will need to be worked around, who you'll need to be prepared to respond to attacks from, etc. isn't evil, it's intelligent.

But hey, pssshhhhhh, who needs rational analysis when you can throw around words like "blacklist" and unsubstantiated rumors (not that I can see a problem with knowing which news publications are going to be hostile to you either, even if it were true).

Harper is an evangelist who would be like American evangelist politicians except he knows the Canadian electorate would have him out of there on his ass so fast so he begrudgingly stays away from abortion & gay marriage.

which makes him a smart politician. I have no problem with a leader being pragmatic above pursuing personal goals that would go against the wishes of the populace. And while strongly worded the memo really isn't that surprising. You'd want the new guy/girl to be informed of who is helpful vs. combative to your office when you come in.

He is not that smart. You should see who he thinks is trustworthy. Hiring a con artist as a adviser, appointing thieves and women beaters to the Senate, and he has at least 2 RCMP investigations going on against his government.

When the source and some others in their office protested putting such lists together, the group was labelled "political unreliable" and cut off from further communications on the matter, the source said.

fusillade762:When the source and some others in their office protested putting such lists together, the group was labelled "political unreliable" and cut off from further communications on the matter, the source said.

HighOnCraic:fusillade762: When the source and some others in their office protested putting such lists together, the group was labelled "political unreliable" and cut off from further communications on the matter, the source said.

Emposter:It's called opposition research. It's essential to getting things done in politics. Knowing who will oppose a bill you put forward, who can be persuaded, who's a lost cause and will need to be worked around, who you'll need to be prepared to respond to attacks from, etc. isn't evil, it's intelligent.

Reporters and Civil Servants in your OWN DEPARTMENT are not the opposition.

Canada is still being amateurish. When you start using the Justice Minister and Canada Revenue Agency to attack those on those lists ten you have a scandal. Just having a list of people who may not be on your side is no big deal.

hasty ambush:Canada is still being amateurish. When you start using the Justice Minister and Canada Revenue Agency to attack those on those lists ten you have a scandal. Just having a list of people who may not be on your side is no big deal.

Actually, I think it's just that the Conservatives are still doing testing on how much evil the Canadian people will not notice/pointedly ignore. They went with an American style TV campaign last federal election (basically lies and hyperbole) and it won them the majority. Then they experimented with mixed results on passing patently foolish and damaging legislation to some success. And when the Liberals elected their new leader, they did an American style smear job on Trudeau. It's a process for the Conservatives, I just hope that a few more Canadian people figure out what a clown Harper is and send him back to the position of "loyal opposition".

Mercutio74:Actually, I think it's just that the Conservatives are still doing testing on how much evil the Canadian people will not notice/pointedly ignore. They went with an American style TV campaign last federal election (basically lies and hyperbole) and it won them the majority. Then they experimented with mixed results on passing patently foolish and damaging legislation to some success. And when the Liberals elected their new leader, they did an American style smear job on Trudeau. It's a process for the Conservatives, I just hope that a few more Canadian people figure out what a clown Harper is and send him back to the position of "loyal opposition".

I think Harper is done next election. Waaay too many scandals, and he's losing tons of support in the East. His American style of governance (always campaigning, always spinning) is a turnoff for most Canadians.

If it wasn't for the East, no Harper majority.If it wasn't for the Liberal leadership deficit and implosion, no Harper majority.

jakomo002:I think Harper is done next election. Waaay too many scandals, and he's losing tons of support in the East. His American style of governance (always campaigning, always spinning) is a turnoff for most Canadians.

If it wasn't for the East, no Harper majority.If it wasn't for the Liberal leadership deficit and implosion, no Harper majority.

Both or either of those will sink him.

It depends if the Liberals can win all their support back from the NDP. The problem is that the left is split now like the right was in the 90s. With a Weeners the post election style, that means that the Conservatives can win seats in ridings when the majority of people are totally against their policies.

You've got to hope that some backbencher manages to reopen the debate on gay marriage or abortion. That would sink them. Harper has been pretty good about keeping a lid on that though.

jakomo002:I think Harper is done next election. Waaay too many scandals, and he's losing tons of support in the East. His American style of governance (always campaigning, always spinning) is a turnoff for most Canadians.

If it wasn't for the East, no Harper majority.If it wasn't for the Liberal leadership deficit and implosion, no Harper majority.

Both or either of those will sink him.

Yeah, I've also try to get my fellow 905-er farkwads to realize that conservative-style governance doesn't work. And it especially doesn't work in Canada where we have come to depend on moderate, reasonable stewardship of the country. Personally, I'd love to see a minority Liberal gov't... or, ideally, a Liberal-NDP coalition. I've found the Canadian gov't has always worked best when the party in power needs to consult with the other parties to stay in charge. Though to be fair, the Chretien liberals did a non-terrible job overall during their majorities.

mtbhucker:Representative of the unwashed masses: ontariolightning: ecmoRandomNumbers: Do Canadian politicians go to American Ivy League schools?

Harper is an evangelist who would be like American evangelist politicians except he knows the Canadian electorate would have him out of there on his ass so fast so he begrudgingly stays away from abortion & gay marriage.

which makes him a smart politician. I have no problem with a leader being pragmatic above pursuing personal goals that would go against the wishes of the populace. And while strongly worded the memo really isn't that surprising. You'd want the new guy/girl to be informed of who is helpful vs. combative to your office when you come in.

He is not that smart. You should see who he thinks is trustworthy. Hiring a con artist as a adviser, appointing thieves and women beaters to the Senate, and he has at least 2 RCMP investigations going on against his government.

miscreant:jakomo002: I think Harper is done next election. Waaay too many scandals, and he's losing tons of support in the East. His American style of governance (always campaigning, always spinning) is a turnoff for most Canadians.

If it wasn't for the East, no Harper majority.If it wasn't for the Liberal leadership deficit and implosion, no Harper majority.

Both or either of those will sink him.

It depends if the Liberals can win all their support back from the NDP. The problem is that the left is split now like the right was in the 90s. With a Weeners the post election style, that means that the Conservatives can win seats in ridings when the majority of people are totally against their policies.

You've got to hope that some backbencher manages to reopen the debate on gay marriage or abortion. That would sink them. Harper has been pretty good about keeping a lid on that though.

That still leaves the question of who can be elected in Harper's place. NPD economic policies would be disastrous and every time Trudeau opens his mouth he manages to insult the west. I would like to see a change of leadership, sure, but there is no one with the chops or the balls to replace him.

Canada lost its best chance of governance when Jack Layton died. He could have reigned in the excesses of a Tory majority parliament and provided the moral and progressive voice of Canadians while still allowing some legislation to pass. Mulcair isn't up to it.

Mouldy Squid:That still leaves the question of who can be elected in Harper's place. NPD economic policies would be disastrous and every time Trudeau opens his mouth he manages to insult the west. I would like to see a change of leadership, sure, but there is no one with the chops or the balls to replace him.

Canada lost its best chance of governance when Jack Layton died. He could have reigned in the excesses of a Tory majority parliament and provided the moral and progressive voice of Canadians while still allowing some legislation to pass. Mulcair isn't up to it.

It's a fair point, but really, the prairies aren't where Liberal and NDP seats come from. I guess the hope is that Trudeau wins on name recognization, he's kinda green when it comes to parliamentary politics. I do agree with you, Mulcair isn't up to the task, but then nor is he the kind of rallying force to bring NDP candidates to parliament either. In a way, weaker leadership of the NDP might make an easier path for Trudeau to become PM. He may still need the NDP's help to maintain office, but I think that's in the best interest of the nation anyhow.

Mouldy Squid:Canada lost its best chance of governance when Jack Layton died. He could have reigned in the excesses of a Tory majority parliament and provided the moral and progressive voice of Canadians while still allowing some legislation to pass. Mulcair isn't up to it.

Canadians farked up when they didn't elect Paul Martin. However, Layton would certainly have been better than Harper.

Mouldy Squid:That still leaves the question of who can be elected in Harper's place. NPD economic policies would be disastrous and every time Trudeau opens his mouth he manages to insult the westprairies. I would like to see a change of leadership, sure, but there is no one with the chops or the balls to replace him.

FTFY. The Liberals/NDP can still win lots of seats in BC. They'll never win Alberta no matter what they do, so they only really risk losing any chance at Saskatchewan... which, from a political calculation, is worth it to shore up votes in the east. I doubt either party has the ability to kick the Conservatives out at the moment though. I won't be holding my breath.

RockofAges:Mouldy Squid: miscreant: jakomo002: I think Harper is done next election. Waaay too many scandals, and he's losing tons of support in the East. His American style of governance (always campaigning, always spinning) is a turnoff for most Canadians.

If it wasn't for the East, no Harper majority.If it wasn't for the Liberal leadership deficit and implosion, no Harper majority.

Both or either of those will sink him.

It depends if the Liberals can win all their support back from the NDP. The problem is that the left is split now like the right was in the 90s. With a Weeners the post election style, that means that the Conservatives can win seats in ridings when the majority of people are totally against their policies.

You've got to hope that some backbencher manages to reopen the debate on gay marriage or abortion. That would sink them. Harper has been pretty good about keeping a lid on that though.

That still leaves the question of who can be elected in Harper's place. NPD economic policies would be disastrous and every time Trudeau opens his mouth he manages to insult the west. I would like to see a change of leadership, sure, but there is no one with the chops or the balls to replace him.

Canada lost its best chance of governance when Jack Layton died. He could have reigned in the excesses of a Tory majority parliament and provided the moral and progressive voice of Canadians while still allowing some legislation to pass. Mulcair isn't up to it.

LOL, the NDP has produced balanced budgets in NS and in other provinces in general. If you actually LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, "Conservatives" almost universally increase deficit spending, increase debt, and yet somehow cut all services to the bone while doing so.

So yea, your belief in the "fiscal conservative" unicorn is noted, but factually baseless.

I guess that's why every province that elected them removed them from power in the next election. Manitoba and Nova Scotia are pretty much the only place where the NDP has maintained a hold of provincial power.

I am no water carrier for the Conservatives, but deficit spending is exactly what you are supposed to do during a recession. Harper's government has done that. Harper is an economist and during economic chaos, do you think that a school teacher or a lawyer are the ones to craft economic policy? Are you saying that decreasing spending is the best way to prop up the economy during a recession?

We may have been able to weather the economic storm because of Liberal government regulation of the banking industry, but that only kept out economy from outright collapse. Harper's Canada Action Plan is actually working, particularly in the infrastructure section (which is in need of upgrading, or should be keep letting out roads and bridges go the way of the U.S.?).

I don't like his crime policies, I don't like his social policies and I don't like his religion (at least he's smart enough not to wear it on his sleeve), but I cannot fault his recent economic policies (F35 debacle aside, oh, and let's not forget it was Chretien's government that signed us into that treaty).

Yes, Canada needs to elect a non-Conservative government, and soon. But the even keel that we have maintained during the recession is due in large part to their economic policies.

Mercutio74:Mouldy Squid: That still leaves the question of who can be elected in Harper's place. NPD economic policies would be disastrous and every time Trudeau opens his mouth he manages to insult the west. I would like to see a change of leadership, sure, but there is no one with the chops or the balls to replace him.

Canada lost its best chance of governance when Jack Layton died. He could have reigned in the excesses of a Tory majority parliament and provided the moral and progressive voice of Canadians while still allowing some legislation to pass. Mulcair isn't up to it.

It's a fair point, but really, the prairies aren't where Liberal and NDP seats come from. I guess the hope is that Trudeau wins on name recognization, he's kinda green when it comes to parliamentary politics. I do agree with you, Mulcair isn't up to the task, but then nor is he the kind of rallying force to bring NDP candidates to parliament either. In a way, weaker leadership of the NDP might make an easier path for Trudeau to become PM. He may still need the NDP's help to maintain office, but I think that's in the best interest of the nation anyhow.

Name recognition does not a Prime Minister make; you need more of a pedigree than a famous daddy. People are still butt-hurt out west over the NEP and that was forty years ago. The name Trudeau is irrevocably attached to that, so name recognition is not something that helps him here. I like Justin's moxy, I like his direction on crime and cannabis, and I can see why he appeals to younger voters regardless of what part of the country they're from. Hell, if I wasn't worried about the Liberals farking about with the Firearms Act, I might even vote for him.

The real problem is that Canada needs an entirely new party, or a bunch of smaller parties that better reflect what voters want. A party that takes the best aspects from the Liberals, the NDP and the Conservatives doesn't exist and probably never will. You must admit, though, there really isn't anyone we can elect right now. Mulcair is a dish-rag, Trudeau is too inexperienced and Harper does have to go.

We also need to reform the Elections Act, and do something about the total uneveness of the electoral landscape. There is a lot of resentment in the west about how Ontario and Quebec can elect a PM without us. I am not saying that they shouldn't be able to, it's just that it doesn't help matters when it appears that provinces like Albert and Saskatchewan don't count. I know that many people in the smaller Atlantic provinces feel the same way, but they traditionally vote Liberal. Proportional representation of some sort will go a long way in fixing Canada's political woes. It will also help to foster newer (smaller) parties that better represent the electorate and lead to coalition governments, which seem to work the best for countries like Canada.

Mercutio74:mrshowrules: Canadians farked up when they didn't elect Paul Martin. However, Layton would certainly have been better than Harper.

We farked up when we maintained an electoral system without run off voting where 37% of the popular vote can get a majority gov't that a majority of the population despises.

Yeah, it really is farked. I wish Nathan Cullen and Joyce Murray would have won their respective party leadership races, so we could get some sort of co-operation on the left. It looks like we may get the same result next election though. Harper and Co. may be terrible for the country but they do know how to play the game of politics.

Mouldy Squid:We also need to reform the Elections Act, and do something about the total uneveness of the electoral landscape. There is a lot of resentment in the west about how Ontario and Quebec can elect a PM without us. I am not saying that they shouldn't be able to, it's just that it doesn't help matters when it appears that provinces like Albert and Saskatchewan don't count. I know that many people in the smaller Atlantic provinces feel the same way, but they traditionally vote Liberal. Proportional representation of some sort will go a long way in fixing Canada's political woes. It will also help to foster newer (smaller) parties that better represent the electorate and lead to coalition governments, which seem to work the best for countries like Canada.

I live in Ontario and I think this is something we should look at. The type of voting system that the fark filter changes to Weeners doesn't foster the kind of representation we need to have in parliament. The voice of the people should be reflected in the party make up of parliament.

Also, we should think of something better to do with the Senate. It's not really serving us in its current form.

So I take it Mouldy Squid is a paid schill. Hell, I live in ranch country in Southern Alberta, and I haven't heard one person say anything favourable about the economic action plan. The hardcore conservatives around here even call it propaganda. When he's lost my email forwarding cousins, you know he's trouble.

mtbhucker:So I take it Mouldy Squid is a paid schill. Hell, I live in ranch country in Southern Alberta, and I haven't heard one person say anything favourable about the economic action plan. The hardcore conservatives around here even call it propaganda. When he's lost my email forwarding cousins, you know he's trouble.

Just out of curiosity, what improvements would your cousins make to the economic action plan? I'm going to assume it involves getting rid of the social safety net and cutting the hell out of everything.

Personally, I feel the EAP could have been a lot farking worse than it is considering that it sprung from a Conservative majority gov't. I'm not a huge fan, but at least it's not tea party approved.

Mercutio74:Mouldy Squid: We also need to reform the Elections Act, and do something about the total uneveness of the electoral landscape. There is a lot of resentment in the west about how Ontario and Quebec can elect a PM without us. I am not saying that they shouldn't be able to, it's just that it doesn't help matters when it appears that provinces like Albert and Saskatchewan don't count. I know that many people in the smaller Atlantic provinces feel the same way, but they traditionally vote Liberal. Proportional representation of some sort will go a long way in fixing Canada's political woes. It will also help to foster newer (smaller) parties that better represent the electorate and lead to coalition governments, which seem to work the best for countries like Canada.

I live in Ontario and I think this is something we should look at. The type of voting system that the fark filter changes to Weeners doesn't foster the kind of representation we need to have in parliament. The voice of the people should be reflected in the party make up of parliament.

Also, we should think of something better to do with the Senate. It's not really serving us in its current form.

An elected Senate was supposed to be one of the planks of the Conservative platform from way back in the Reform Party days, so that's another strike against the Tories. Not that the Liberals have ever made any noise about reforming it. It's too convenient a place to stack with the party faithful.

PR would be a great way of ensuring the electorate get better representation in Parliament. There is no party I want to vote for, and the smaller parties that are attractive to many simply aren't allowed to have seats in Ottawa. So we are stuck voting for the lesser of three evils or lodging protest votes against any particular party. This does not make for good government. Countries like Germany and Norway have several parties that form blocs to work together. How a modern Western nation can get by with only three, or worse yet, two political parties is an anachronism that should be done away with. Too bad it will never happen. Electoral reform is not in the interest of any of our Parties. It would do away with majority governments.

mtbhucker:So I take it Mouldy Squid is a paid schill. Hell, I live in ranch country in Southern Alberta, and I haven't heard one person say anything favourable about the economic action plan. The hardcore conservatives around here even call it propaganda. When he's lost my email forwarding cousins, you know he's trouble.

Do your conservative rancher buddies believe in deficit spending to drive economies during recession? Or do they drink the American kool-aid and say that we need to balance budgets at the expense of everything else?

The EAP has it's flaws, certainly, but it is a fact that much of the infrastructure being built or renovated in Alberta and elsewhere is funded by it. Without those Federal dollars, none of this construction and employment would be happening.

Mercutio74:mtbhucker: So I take it Mouldy Squid is a paid schill. Hell, I live in ranch country in Southern Alberta, and I haven't heard one person say anything favourable about the economic action plan. The hardcore conservatives around here even call it propaganda. When he's lost my email forwarding cousins, you know he's trouble.

Just out of curiosity, what improvements would your cousins make to the economic action plan? I'm going to assume it involves getting rid of the social safety net and cutting the hell out of everything.

Personally, I feel the EAP could have been a lot farking worse than it is considering that it sprung from a Conservative majority gov't. I'm not a huge fan, but at least it's not tea party approved.

Mouldy Squid:mtbhucker: So I take it Mouldy Squid is a paid schill. Hell, I live in ranch country in Southern Alberta, and I haven't heard one person say anything favourable about the economic action plan. The hardcore conservatives around here even call it propaganda. When he's lost my email forwarding cousins, you know he's trouble.

Do your conservative rancher buddies believe in deficit spending to drive economies during recession? Or do they drink the American kool-aid and say that we need to balance budgets at the expense of everything else?

The EAP has it's flaws, certainly, but it is a fact that much of the infrastructure being built or renovated in Alberta and elsewhere is funded by it. Without those Federal dollars, none of this construction and employment would be happening.

The only thing we've gotten out of the EAP in sw alberta area bunch of annoying tv ads and posters. Oh my town got a new sewer line... 6 years ago. But then last year they put up a sign on main street touting their achievement and how it was part of EAP. Bullshiat.

My cousins do vote con, but they also don't believe in gutting the social safety net. They have also said that Harper is not a true conservative, and wish for the days of Joe Clark! ( I know, I was just as confused about that one) Few around here really do, mainly because our economy is based on what the coal mines in BC do.

As for the ranchers, they are not my buddies. They want a balanced budget, and wonder why Harper can't balance a budget, but the liberals could even though they would never ever vote liberal. I am a (gasp) environmentalist, and work with some of them on conservation. They lament that the current crop of cons are selling out to industry at the expense of agriculture. Fracking is just starting to move into the eastern slopes of the Rockies, and many are unhappy about the whole situation. Some are unhappy because when they organize local meetings to talk about oil and gas expansion, the RCMPs show up and take their license plate numbers down.

I have huuuuge problems with the Harper government, and have had them since day one. The man is an economist who seemed to have conveniently forgotten his schooling in his minority governments. I won't complain about defecit spending in a recession, but I will complain about pissing away the surplus on a cut to a consumption tax to buy votes.

Yes, I'm seriously saying that 7% GST was smart and good for the country. If he wanted to cut taxes, income taxes should have been slashed.

I lean Liberal/NDP, so as the father of three children under 10, I'm unimpressed with the child care benefit, and would have rather seen a national child care program. I find his disdain for science and scientific method frustrating - I mean he made the long-form census optional because one constituent didn't want to report on the number of bathrooms in his house, he appointed a chiropractor creationist as Minister of Sci/tech, he put Rona Ambrose (whose top qualification seems to be great hair) into Health, while he gave freaking Labour and Status of Women to a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon.

mtbhucker:Mercutio74: mtbhucker: So I take it Mouldy Squid is a paid schill. Hell, I live in ranch country in Southern Alberta, and I haven't heard one person say anything favourable about the economic action plan. The hardcore conservatives around here even call it propaganda. When he's lost my email forwarding cousins, you know he's trouble.

Just out of curiosity, what improvements would your cousins make to the economic action plan? I'm going to assume it involves getting rid of the social safety net and cutting the hell out of everything.

Personally, I feel the EAP could have been a lot farking worse than it is considering that it sprung from a Conservative majority gov't. I'm not a huge fan, but at least it's not tea party approved.

Mouldy Squid: mtbhucker: So I take it Mouldy Squid is a paid schill. Hell, I live in ranch country in Southern Alberta, and I haven't heard one person say anything favourable about the economic action plan. The hardcore conservatives around here even call it propaganda. When he's lost my email forwarding cousins, you know he's trouble.

Do your conservative rancher buddies believe in deficit spending to drive economies during recession? Or do they drink the American kool-aid and say that we need to balance budgets at the expense of everything else?

The EAP has it's flaws, certainly, but it is a fact that much of the infrastructure being built or renovated in Alberta and elsewhere is funded by it. Without those Federal dollars, none of this construction and employment would be happening.

The only thing we've gotten out of the EAP in sw alberta area bunch of annoying tv ads and posters. Oh my town got a new sewer line... 6 years ago. But then last year they put up a sign on main street touting their achievement and how it was part of EAP. Bullshiat.

My cousins do vote con, but they also don't believe in gutting the social safety net. They have also said that Harper is not a true conservative, and wish for the days of Joe Clark ...

So, just because you personally didn't see the benefits of the EAP other than the sewer line that wouldn't have been built, the whole program is crap and should never have been instituted?

There is a reason Harper isn't balancing the budget: you increase government spending during economic recessions to prop up the economy. You know, Keynsian economics, the system that the Republicans in the US deride at every opportunity. Without government spending the recessions get worse, unemployment increases, people and companies spend less money on products, construction, infrastructure et cetera.

You balance budgets when the economy is on the upswing, when government spending is not needed to employ people, companies pay more tax on their profits and hire workers.

Yes, balanced budgets are good. Budget surpluses are better. But these are things that you do when your economy isn't crashing. Ours is recovering, slowly. When we are finally growing again, that is when you start balancing the budgets.